NationStates Jolt Archive


Looking for the "ridiculously large paperback" Sta

25-01-2004, 17:04
Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 12:01 pm Post subject: Looking for the "ridiculously large paperback" Sta

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Ok, I admit it, I'm weird.

After the first Harry Potter book was inexplicably changed in the US to Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (Because kids wouldn't know what a Philosopher's Stone was...well, how do you think they'd learn?), I bought the book from a store in Canada to get the "correct" edition. Then I started collecting Terry Pratchett's UK editions when I found them.

Now I find that Jennifer Government was published in a larger format. Since I dig the cover, I thought I might try to get this "ridiculously large paperback" edition, especially since I'm driving up to Austin to catch the book tour in 2 weeks. The problem is, when I go to Amazon UK or CA, we have pictures, but of course there are no dimensions of the book.

Any suggestions, besides "Get a life?"
Catholic Europe
26-01-2004, 19:38
Perhaps you should e-mail the companies which sell JG in its larger form, asking them for the dimensions.
[violet]
27-01-2004, 08:05
The edition on sale in the UK right now is the "ridiculously large paperback" version, and will be for the next week or two. It's roughly the same width as the US hardcover, but about an inch taller and a bit thicker. It has 335 pages and was published mid-2003.

Note that the US hardcover is the world 1st edition version -- it was published in January 2003 -- so is generally considered more valuable. The UK version also lacks the groovy color world map.

On Feb 6th the UK mass market paperback will come out, which is a more standard size paperback, to replace the large one.
The Most Glorious Hack
27-01-2004, 08:13
]
Note that the US hardcover is the world 1st edition version -- it was published in January 2003 -- so is generally considered more valuable. The UK version also lacks the groovy color world map.


I liked that map. I noticed they copied it over and stuck it inside for the paperback version.
[violet]
27-01-2004, 08:16
Yeah. The aforementioned Feb-6 UK paperback edition has made up for skipping it earlier by putting it on the inside of the front cover in color -- much prettier!
Celdonia
27-01-2004, 11:53
Hey...the yanks got a map :shock: :?:

I feel robbed.
27-01-2004, 15:51
That's ok. Only the women over here actually read it, so you should only feel slightly pinched.

Thank you, Violet.
Free Soviets
28-01-2004, 06:38
After the first Harry Potter book was inexplicably changed in the US to Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (Because kids wouldn't know what a Philosopher's Stone was...well, how do you think they'd learn?), I bought the book from a store in Canada to get the "correct" edition. Then I started collecting Terry Pratchett's UK editions when I found them.

ya know, i've never understood the reasoning behind the 'sorceror's stone' decision. so the supposedly dumb american children won't know what the philosopher's stone is... its not like they would know what the justmadeupbythepublisher sorceror's stone is either.

and the uk editions of discworld books are much nicer. shame that its a chore to find them.

we now return you to your regularly scheduled topic.
The Most Glorious Hack
28-01-2004, 13:42
ya know, i've never understood the reasoning behind the 'sorceror's stone' decision. so the supposedly dumb american children won't know what the philosopher's stone is... its not like they would know what the justmadeupbythepublisher sorceror's stone is either.


Has nothing to do with how smart American children are. It's a matter of cultural literacy.

In America, the fabled item known as "The Philosopher's Stone" is generally called "The Sorceror's Stone".

Kinda like "football" versus "soccer".
Catholic Europe
28-01-2004, 17:36
]Note that the US hardcover is the world 1st edition version -- it was published in January 2003 -- so is generally considered more valuable. The UK version also lacks the groovy color world map.

Hey! That's discrimination. Just because we're British doesn't mean we shouldn't have the world map! Nasty publishers! :evil:
Free Soviets
28-01-2004, 19:17
Has nothing to do with how smart American children are. It's a matter of cultural literacy.

In America, the fabled item known as "The Philosopher's Stone" is generally called "The Sorceror's Stone".

Kinda like "football" versus "soccer".

is it? i've never heard it called that. i didn't even make the connection when i first heard the term (in the harry potter book) until i was told what the book was titled everywhere else.
Catholic Europe
28-01-2004, 20:02
is it? i've never heard it called that. i didn't even make the connection when i first heard the term (in the harry potter book) until i was told what the book was titled everywhere else.

Yep, it most certainely is. I remember I did a thread on all 5 books and wrote 'philosphers stone' down. I then was told by about 10 different Americans that there was no such book as - "Harry Potter and the Philosphers Stone".
Catholic Europe
28-01-2004, 20:02
is it? i've never heard it called that. i didn't even make the connection when i first heard the term (in the harry potter book) until i was told what the book was titled everywhere else.

Yep, it most certainely is. I remember I did a thread on all 5 books and wrote 'philosphers stone' down. I then was told by about 10 different Americans that there was no such book as - "Harry Potter and the Philosphers Stone".
Celdonia
29-01-2004, 12:38
is it? i've never heard it called that. i didn't even make the connection when i first heard the term (in the harry potter book) until i was told what the book was titled everywhere else.

Yep, it most certainely is. I remember I did a thread on all 5 books and wrote 'philosphers stone' down. I then was told by about 10 different Americans that there was no such book as - "Harry Potter and the Philosphers Stone".

I don't think Free Soviets was refering to what the book was called, but rather to the suggestion that in America "The Philosopher's Stone" is generally called "The Sorceror's Stone".
Catholic Europe
29-01-2004, 12:46
I don't think Free Soviets was refering to what the book was called, but rather to the suggestion that in America "The Philosopher's Stone" is generally called "The Sorceror's Stone".

Hmm, I'm confused. Weren't both me and Free Soviets talking about the same thing?
29-01-2004, 19:20
In America, the fabled item known as "The Philosopher's Stone" is generally called "The Sorceror's Stone".

This would explain why Martin Caiden's book on the subject sold so poorly.

It is not, however, a term I ever heard of, either...and I've seen multiple references to the Philosopher's Stone in adult lit as well as research texts. I'm not saying that the term doesn't apply, simply that if it's refered to over here as the Sorceror's Stone, it's a mixed mag of those who do.
Catholic Europe
31-01-2004, 09:56
In America, the fabled item known as "The Philosopher's Stone" is generally called "The Sorceror's Stone".

This would explain why Martin Caiden's book on the subject sold so poorly.

It is not, however, a term I ever heard of, either...and I've seen multiple references to the Philosopher's Stone in adult lit as well as research texts. I'm not saying that the term doesn't apply, simply that if it's refered to over here as the Sorceror's Stone, it's a mixed mag of those who do.

Well, I know it only as the 'Philosphers Stone'. And that is the end of that.